Students join campaign for equality in Indigenous health
13 September 2007
As part of national 'Close the Gap Day' on Monday 17 September 2007, Kangan Batman TAFE Community Development students will host a Broadmeadows campus event to raise awareness for Australia's Indigenous health crisis.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders die 17 years younger than other Australians. Indigenous infant mortality is three times that of other Australians.
A coalition of 40 Indigenous and non Indigenous organisations, including Oxfam, is coordinating a national campaign calling on governments to take action to achieve health equality for Indigenous Australians within 25 years.
The activities at Kangan Batman TAFE present an opportunity for students and staff to learn about these issues, pledge their support and buy a wrist band.
Kangan Batman TAFE has been recognised on a number of occasions for their commitment to Indigenous people and education, most recently at the VAEAI Wurreker Awards.' Event organisers and Kangan Batman TAFE students Hong Nguyen and Paras Christou said. 'As students at the Institute we feel this campaign is especially important.'
A music ensemble from Kangan Batman TAFE's Gunung-Willam Balluk Learning Centre, a specially-designed facility for Indigenous education at the Broadmeadows campus, will also perform on the day.
The Close the Gap campaign is calling on Australian governments to take action to achieve health equality for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders within 25 years through increasing Indigenous Australians' access to health services, aaddressing critical social issues such as poor housing, nutrition and education and building Indigenous control and participation in the delivery of health and other services.
The event will take place from 11am 1:30pm on Monday 17 September 2007 in the courtyard of Kangan Batman TAFE's Broadmeadows Campus.
MEDIA ARE WELCOME TO ATTEND.
